News & Comment

Tobacco Products Directive treats adults like children says Forest

Wed 4th May, 2016

Forest has expressed disappointment after the European Court of Justice ruled that the European Union's Tobacco Products Directive is lawful.

Under the revised TPD there will be extensive standardisation of packaging, including larger health warnings. There will be a ban on packs containing fewer than 20 cigarettes and menthol flavoured cigarettes will be banned from 2020.

The court also ruled that special rules for electronic cigarettes are lawful.

Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest which campaigned against the revised directive, said:

"The Tobacco Products Directive treats adult consumers like children.

"Smokers know the health risks and they have a right to buy and consume tobacco without excessive regulations that are designed to stigmatise both the product and the user and reduce consumer choice."

Forest also criticised the UK government, accusing ministers of ignoring established parliamentary procedure when it supported the new directive.

Clark said:

"The implementation of the Tobacco Products Directive highlights the way the European Union imposes measures on member states with little or no public debate and very little scrutiny by national parliaments.

"Consumer rights have been sacrificed by unelected officials in Brussels supported by a compliant government in Westminster."

Smokers’ lobby group Forest has called for amendments to the smoking ban in Scotland ahead of the fifth anniversary of its introduction. The group wants pubs and clubs to have the option of separate, well-ventilated smoking rooms.

Get Involved

Disclaimer: Forest is supported by British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco Limited and Gallaher Limited (a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies). The views expressed on this or any other Forest-affiliated website are those of Forest alone.